Youth group Anakbayan called President Noynoy Aquino a ‘filthy hypocrite’ today in reaction to the latter’s refusal to use his executive powers to free the ‘Morong 43’.

Calls from various groups, including an international lawyers’ group, urging Aquino to free the 43 illegally-arrested and detained health workers intensified since the president granted amnesty to soldiers who mutinied under his predecessor.

“Kung gusto, may paraan. Kung ayaw, maraming dahilan. There are perfectly legal avenues that Aquino can take to free the health workers” said Anakbayan spokesperson Charisse Bañez.

“He can instruct the DOJ (Dept. of Justice) to simply withdraw the cases against the ‘43’, thus paving the way for their release” said the youth leader.

Meanwhile, Bañez raised the possibility that Aquino’s refusal may be part of a policy of appeasement towards the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

She said “First, he gives the military a whooping budget increase for next year. Then he refuses to go after human rights violators in the AFP. Now, he frees rebel soldiers while shielding the military from embarrassment by freeing the ‘43’, which in effect would recognize the injustices committed by the AFP in its arrest of the former”.